TORONTO • Former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant said he was “terrified” during a confrontation last Aug. 31, which resulted in the death of an intoxicated bike courier.

“I wish none of it had happened. It was a terrible tragedy,” said Mr. Bryant at a news conference after all of his criminal charges were withdrawn in court Tuesday morning by a special prosecutor.

“We are all diminished by any loss of life,” said Mr. Bryant, referring to the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard.

Last year, Mr. Bryant was charged by Toronto police with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death several hours after the fatal confrontation with Mr. Sheppard on Bloor Street in the Yorkville section of downtown Toronto.

The decision to withdraw those charges, before even a preliminary hearing took place, was explained in court Tuesday by special prosecutor Richard Peck.

“The evidence establishes that Mr. Sheppard was the aggressor in the altercation with Mr. Bryant. He was agitated and angry, without any provocation from Mr. Bryant and his wife,” Mr. Peck said in the Ontario Court of Justice.

Mr. Sheppard, a 33-year-old bike courier who had been drinking heavily earlier that evening, was involved in a dispute with Mr. Bryant and his wife, who were driving home from dinner with the top of their convertible down.

The court heard that Mr. Sheppard had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit that evening. Mr. Sheppard was riding his bicycle home after police let him go after they were called to a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.

There was conflicting evidence from independent eyewitnesses about what happened when Mr. Bryant drove away in the dispute, with Mr. Sheppard holding onto the Saab convertible, Mr. Peck said.

The dispute began with Mr. Sheppard blocking the car, in an area with ongoing road construction and slow-moving traffic. It ended less than 30 seconds later with Mr. Sheppard knocked from the car as his torso hit a fire hydrant, causing him to strike his head on the curb or the road.

“The impact was fatal,” Mr. Peck said as he read a lengthy statement in court to explain the decision to withdraw the charges.

Mr. Bryant drove to a nearby hotel with his wife. Three minutes later he called 911. He also told a doorman that he was the victim of an assault by a cyclist, but that he had “roughed him up pretty good,” the court heard.

As a result of the different eyewitness accounts, Mr. Peck indicated that evidence of other incidents involving Mr. Sheppard was used to assess the case. The prosecution also examined evidence uncovered by investigators retained by Mr. Bryant, said the special prosecutor.

Following the widely publicized incident, people came forward with information about six other confrontations Mr. Sheppard allegedly had with drivers. He was not charged criminally in any of them, but Mr. Peck said outside court that the witnesses were credible.

In one incident, just three weeks before the fatal confrontation with Mr. Bryant, the driver of a BMW was allegedly yelled at by Mr. Sheppard, for being on the wrong side of the road. The person alleged to be Mr. Sheppard, spit at the car and then jumped onto the vehicle, hanging on the window. Photos of the incident, taken by an onlooker, were filed as an exhibit in court Tuesday.

The “prior conduct of the deceased” was legally relevant, including his “propensity” for confrontations with drivers, said Mr. Peck.

“These facts are not to demonize Mr. Sheppard or for anyone to suggest he somehow deserved his fate,” said Mr. Peck.

The special prosecutor noted that Mr. Sheppard had a very troubled life growing up in Alberta. He was in 30 foster homes between the ages of four and six and likely had fetal alcohol syndrome. “Some of the material we have read is shocking,” said Mr. Peck.

Allan Sheppard, who adopted Darcy at age six, said outside court that he understood the decision to withdraw the charges. “You heard the evidence. I would not have insisted on a trial,” he said.

The speedy resolution of the case and the use of information acquired by the defence, as well as that of police, suggested “you get a different part of the justice system if you have power and money,” Mr. Sheppard said.

Cyclists gathered outside the courthouse as the proceedings went on. Some initially expressed shock and anger at the unexpected turn of events.

“It seems completely unacceptable and I think there are going to be thousands of people across Toronto, not just cyclists, who are going to be extremely disappointed in the justice system for this outcome,” said Yvonne Bambrick, of the Toronto Cyclists Union.

“I can’t predict how it will be perceived other than sending the message that it’s okay to kill someone with your car. It’s just as much a weapon as a gun is,” she said. “There has to be repercussions other than losing your job,” she said.

Mr. Bryant did not make any public comment until the news conference; several police officers were stationed outside the hotel where it was taking place.

“This has turned out to be a tale about addiction, mental health, an independent justice system and a couple out on their wedding anniversary driving home with the top down,” Mr. Bryant said.

“It is not a morality play about bikes versus cars, couriers versus drivers, or one about class, privilege or politics. It’s just about how in 28 seconds, everything can change.”

The former Attorney General of Ontario indicated that he is not sure what he will do next. “I do not know what the future holds. I have bills to pay. I want to go back to work,” said Mr. Bryant.

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